Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Arabs enjoy fruits of peace while still murdering Jews

The reopening of cinema in Jenin allows the once-violent West Bank town to show new face to the world.

Children crowded the ticket window as President Salam Fayyad climbed stairs covered in red carpet and scouts rapped out a snare-drum beat to inaugurate Cinema Jenin, reopened last month after more than 20 years in this northern West Bank city.

The renovation is the brainchild of German filmmaker Marcus Vetter and Jenin resident Ismael Khatib, whose son Ahmed, 12, was killed by Israeli soldiers in 2005. Mr. Vetter documented Mr. Khatib’s decision to donate Ahmed’s organs to six Israelis in the film “Heart of Jenin,” then renovated a cinema to provide a local venue to show it.

“Cinema Jenin is a safe place for Ahmed’s friends to learn and have fun,” Khatib said.

German and Palestinian volunteers spent two years painting the walls purple, reupholstering the 355 old chairs, and landscaping outside the 700-seat theater. The cinema’s three-day opening film festival, attended by the director of Tel Aviv’s Cinematheque, marks Jenin’s transformation from a notorious terrorism hometown to a city of cultural institutions including music and acting schools.

Hamas issued a statement on Tuesday claiming responsibility for the shooting attack in the West Bank that left four Israeli civilians dead.

The statement from the armed wing of Hamas, a group that opposes any dialogue with Israel, said the "Qassam Brigades announces its full responsibility for the heroic operation in Hebron."

"Hamas praises the attack and regards it as a natural response to the crimes of the occupation," said Sami Abu-Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, adding that the attack was proof "of a failure of security coordination" between Israel and the Palestinians.

Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, opposes the peace talks starting in Washington on Wednesday and is not taking part.

Hamas' military wing said it would carry out more operations after claiming responsibility for the shooting.

"This attack is a chain in a series of attacks, some have been executed, and others will follow," Abu Ubaida, spokesman for the group, told Reuters.

You know what Obama? Israeli civilians are better off without the 'peace' attempts - which only lead to further murder. Security can be achieved by other means, and those who continue wishing for murder aught to bare the consequences of their actions.